Apparatus for expanding trussed beams



Sept. 19, 1933., c. w. LAUFLE 1,927,443

APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING TRUSSED BEAMS Filed Feb. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l J I w 72 7? 7 R NV NTOR W) game a}. m

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APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING TRUSSED BEAMS Filed Feb. 9, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWI" W 2 Z w? TOR BY 2 Z I (Mun Sept. 19,1933. c w, LAUFLE 1,927,443

APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING TRUSSED BEAMS Filed Feb. 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fig] 45 47 @I/I/A f 50 F W 3 ATTORNEY Sept. 19, 1933. w. LAUFLE 1,927,443

APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING TRUSSED BEAMS Filed Feb. 9, 1933 5 She ets-Sheet 4 MO v .4,

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APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING TRUSSED BEAMS Filed Feb. 9, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I //////1 111/ I 9b 26 {&\ K W2 95 Fig.1?

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Patented Sept. 19, 1933 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING TRUSSED BEAMS Charles W. Laufle, Lakewood, Ohio Application February 9,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for expanding frame structures of the character having longitudinal chord members in the forms of T-beams, I-beams, channels, and the like, and which chord members are connected together by truss members in the form of open or latticed web'structures,

In the expanding of such structures difficulty is experienced in that there are limits to which the truss members may be stretched and bent from the joining web structure of the chord members. Particularly, the likelihood of rupture of the bond between the web and truss members results in unduly limiting the expansion otherwise obtainable.

I have found that by effecting the expansion through instrumentalities which apply stress or force in such a manner that the truss member is gripped together with, and at the point of its bond with, the adjacent web portion, thereby avoiding pull between the truss member and web or at least minimizing such pulling strain, that much greater expansion may be effected without tearing or fracture.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the expansion of such frame structures, joists, or beams as those shown, described, and claimed in my pending application, Serial Number 602,881, filed April 4, 1932. These structural members are particularly characterized in that the truss or open portion is formed of a thickened rib,or the like, projecting at one or both sides from the plane of the web. This projecting portion offers shoulders which may be gripped simultaneously with the web and chord portions during the lateral or transverse pull for effecting expansion, which is one of the advantages of that character of trussed structure;

The objects of the present invention include the provision of a simple, effective means comprising an expanding apparatus adapted to so grip the webs and truss members, or rib portions, as to effect maximum expansion without fracture.

Further objects include so constructing such an apparatus that it may be operated quickly and effect uniform expansion throughout the length of the joist orbeam member being expanded. Still another object is to so construct such an apparatus that it may expand such joists or beams having a plurality of thickened rib portions which, when expanded, become the diagonal truss members and in which the bond between the plurality of truss members is likewise prevented from fracture.

1933. Serial No. 655,990

More specific objects include convenience of operation, allowing ready placement of blanks ifn the apparatus and convenient removal thererom.

' It is to be noted that in the expansion of the thickened portions by stretching from parallelism with the chord members to the diagonal positions in the finished trussed structure as has heretofore been generally done, it is most desirable to have these sections of substantially the same width as thickness, inasmuch as the increased width subjects the truss members to a tendency to thin orfracture at the bend adjacent the bonds. Withmy present apparatus, however, I am enabled touse such shapes of rib truss members as mayhave somewhat greater dimension in the plane of the web or truss than the dimension transversely to said plane, inasmuch as the gripping eflect eliminates the tendency to tear or split and minimizes the transverse pull on the 75 bond. In shaping the gripping jaws, they may extend somewhat either way from the bond area with round shoulders conforming to the finished bend, thus preventing any likelihood of too abrupt bending adjacent the bonds.

In the foregoing I have referred to my apparatus as useful primarily for engaging the shoulders which rise from the plane of the web on either side of the rib or truss element. In slitting structures having a continuous thickened web portion or a web portion of the same thickness throughout it is possible, and in fact customary, to form the slits on a tapered or wedge shaped section. In such cases I am enabled to engage the shoulders so formed by the slit itself. This however requires special tools, such as knife edges on the gripping elements, but even though these knife edges have but slight grip, suflicient reinforcement may be applied to the bond resisting the stretching at that point'as to increase the distance of amount to which the beam may be expanded.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a truss beam having for closing and permitting the. opening of the grippers.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a beam having a double rib trussed construction.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view somewhat diagrammatically illustrating gripping and expanding means for this character of double trussed beams.

Fig. 8 is a similar view on a slightly reduced scale, showing members in position with the beam expanded.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the gripping and expanding elements.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view also somewhat diagrammatic, showing an arrangement of links and toggle levers for gripping and expanding.

Fig. 11 is a modified view of a gripping mechanism for engaging a beam without ribs.

Fig. 12 is a similar view of a modified gripper -jaw for engaging the truss section where a continuous thickened portion is split to form two or more ribs.

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are modified forms of rib sections which may be made or expanded by such a machine.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified arrangement of the grippers for expanding a generally flat beam or lattice structure. I

Fig. 17 is a similar view showing the parts after expansion.

Fig. 18 is a cross sectional view of such a beam member in a pair of coacting dies forming flanges thereon after expansion.

Fig. 19 is an elevation of flat trussed beam.

As previously indicated, with the flange portions only of a beam are. structural member of this character, that is, of the channel or I-beam section shown in Fig. 1, the expansion maybe accomplished up to a certain point of angularity and elongation of the truss members.

Beyond this point, however, the truss members tend to bear away from the webbed portion. I have found that by flrmly embracing a thickened truss member portion and the adjacent web section simultaneously, while effecting the lateral separation of the flange or chord members; that the angle to which the truss members may be extended with relation to the chord members will be much greater than otherwise permitted by the elongation of the truss portions, without fracture at the bond point between the truss rib and adjacent web.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, such gripping and expanding mechanism comprises essentially a pair of members forming in effect jaws 1 and 2 having recessed portions 3 and 4 embracing the ribbed member R of the beam or structural member A. This member if here illustrated as of the I-beam structure having the usual side flanges F and web portion W integral with which is formed originally a longitudinally extending rib R, and which is slit on opposite sides alternately leaving bond connections B between the ribs and webs. Bond portions extend for a predetermined length, which need be only great enough to form a connection of strength in proportion to the compression and stress which may be applied to the truss members R when in use.

As shown. the two gripper members 1 and 2 have flat gripping faces 5 and 6, between the flange and ribs, closely embracing the web in this area and extending only a suitable distance on the opposite side, as at 7 and 8, and having surfaces preferably contacting with the web or nearly so, but forming in effect embracing shoulders engaging the rib R on the side away from the bond. These gripper elements are shown pivoted together so that one or both of them, but preferably the upper member 1, may be swung upwardly to permit the insertion of a beam and then brought downwardly into gripping position. They are preferably here held by any suitable means, such for example as by wedge or cam. For this purpose I have shown a web or rod 12 which may extend along any number of these grippers and on which are mounted cam or wedge surfaces 13 and 14 engaging corresponding cams 15 and 16.

At theend of the rod may be attached a suitable operating mechanism such as a lever 17 (see Fig.5) for moving it longitudinally, to permit the opening of, as well as to effect closing of, the gripping jaws. A suitable spring indicated at 18 may be attached to the gripping jaws tending normally to raise the upper movable one, thus opening or closing may be effected upon the operation of the rod 12 and lever 17.

Opposed to the grippers 1 and 2, that is, engaging the opposite flange and web portion of the work piece and embracing the rib thereof at theadjacent bond on the alternate side of the rib, are grippers designated 1a and 2a pivoted as at 10a, operated to open and close by lever 17 as heretofore described. One of the lower grip- 1 per elements is preferably entirely rigid with the frame of the machine, while the other is movable transversely of the beam in the frame. As shown, the gripper 2a is formed rigid with the frame member 20, while the gripper member 2 is 1 shown as slidably embracing a rod or shaft 21. Movement of each of these members 2 with their companion member 1, when in gripping position, may be accomplished by a toggle cam or the like.

For example, I have shown a crank 23 on a 1 shaft 24, which may extend along the machine, connected through a pin 25 with a slotted arm 26 integral or rigid with the member 2. Reciprocating motion of the crank will cause corresponding movement of the element 2 sliding them the same plane with the truss member. To this end the surfaces 5 and 7 embracing the web merge with surfaces embracing the inside of the flanges,as shown, and at each side of the jaws are rib portions 28 preferably rigid therewith, which lie along the web in engagement therewith 1 prior to the gripping and during the expansion, and which are cut away as at 29 to receive the projecting ends of the grippers 1 and 2, and 1a and 2a respectively.

The expanding of structural members having 1 more than one truss rib, such as shown in Fig. 6, affords the additional problem of securing the bond between connecting ribs or trusses, as well as protecting the bond between the ribs or trusses and the side webs or chord members against undue strain.

To accomplish this purpose I provide intermediate grippers embracing the ribs or truss members at the bond between them and grippers such as heretofore described for engaging the ribs at the bond between the ribs and outer web portions. The characteristic of the raised rib or trussed portions, that is, forming raised shoulders at either side of the web, is utilized by coacting shoulders on the gripping elements as before.

Referring again to Fig. 6, here is shown a truss member having a plurality of ribs R connected with the web portions W and connected intermediately at the bonds B by metal of the same thickness as the webs, in fact forming a portion of the webs from which the rib portions are slit by alternate slits as before. After slitting, both ribs are gripped opposite the bond portion B joining the truss ribs to the webs, by aligned gripping members and 31, shown in Fig. 7, arranged to be relatively vertically movable to provide for admission of the beam or structural member and for the closing and moving of the same to the position shown in Fig. '7. The relative movability is preferably by permitting the members 30 to be raised and lowered to the members 31, being guided by suitable guide pins or posts 33. The lower members 31 are slidably mounted on frame member 36 preferably by downwardly extending bearings 3'1, embracing guide rod or shaft 38 rigid in the frame 36.

At the bonds B the gripping arrangementis preferably that as shown in Fig. 8, namely the rigid projection 40 rising-from'theframe is provided with recess surfaces to embrace the ribs on the lower side as shown, while a movable gripper member 42 is provided with suitable gripping surfaces formed on the face member 43 and carried on a movable part such as an upwardly swingable lever 44 shown as pivoted at 45' to the frame member 36 and extending over the 0pposite side where it is free and may be locked by a cam as indicated at 4'7, actuated by a looking handle or lever 48 pivoted at 49 to an upward projection of the frame. Swinging the lever 48 free from the end 4'7 permits the end member to be swung free for removing and replacement of the frame member.

As in the arrangement previously described, it is desirable to closely embrace the flanges and web portions to prevent distortion during expansion and'therefore the aligned grippers 30 and 31 are shown as interconnected with rigid bars '50 engaging the inner faces of the flanges and top surfaces of the webs while similar ribs 52 formed on the members 31 similarly engage the opposite sides of the ribs and inner surfaces of the flanges.

It will be noted in fragmentary plan view, Fig. 9, which shows the parts in position of having complete expansion, that the gripper members 30 and 31-have been separated, while the gripper 42 at the bond B has remained stationary. Such movement may be accomplished by any suitable mechanism. For convenience and by way of illustrationI have shown somewhat diagrammatically an arrangement in Fig. 10, in which gripper: members 30, which incidentally are here shown for convenience as continuous plates, and may extend for the full length of I the structural member being expanded, are connected by downwardly extending bosses pivoted at to toggle arms 62 pivoted to coacting arms 64 at 63, which in turn are pivoted at 65 to downwardly extending brackets or arms 66 rigid with the lower gripper members 31.

It will be seen that movement of the toggle pivots 63 toward and away from each other will effect a raising and lowering of the gripper members 30 upwardly and downwardly on the guide pins 33. I may therefore connect the two pivots 63 with another pair of toggle arms 70 joined by pivots 72 which may be connected with any suitable moving element to raise in the direction of the arrow, and lower it to its lowermost position.

The operation of such an arrangement is to effect the moving of the members 30 downwardly to engage the structural element before expansion to forcibly grip the same under comparatively high gripping pressure, and then by continued movement the members 30 and 31 are separated the desired distance to expand the beam. Referring to the three positions of the toggle levers 70, the lowermost position of the pivot '72 and the position of all the connecting parts shown in dot and dash lines is the open position with the members 30 raised to receive a beam. The first upward movement of the pivots 72 and arms 70 brings these arms to the position shown in solid lines, moving the connected parts to the solid line position, gripping the. upper member as shown., Continued upward movementof the pivot '72 brings these arms and connected links to the position shown in dotted lines, i. e. the grippers continue this gripping effect while moving, the pivots 60 and 65, and accordingly the parts 30 and 31 thereby effect the expansion.

In case of the expansion of beams not having a thickened rib truss member, I may effect considerable gripping by the use of sufficient gripping pressure and a pair of serrated gripping jaws engaging a webbed member slit as at S and S, Fig. 11. In this case a pair of jaws, one shown in solid lines, is preferably knurled or serrated, and these may be carried upon gripping members, of which the member corresponds to the memher 181. In the latter where a thickened portion of the web is slit to form the truss rib portions, but a portion of which remains joined at the web, as indicated in Fig. 12, there may be V-shaped slots in the web, as at S, and gripping at these slots may be effected by a jaw having a nose or projection 82 formed on a piece of hardened steel 83 and carried by the gripper jaw member 81 as before. In this case it is quite essential that the hardened tool steel be used as is also the case withthe members '75.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown replaceable elements embracing the ribs which are intended to represent hardened steel or the like, which may be removed as warranted, and which being of suflicient strength and hardness, will have greater life than as though these gripping surfaces were made of cast metal only.

In Figs. 13, 14,-. and '15 are shown I-beam sections which may, of course, represent channel or other sections. If of the rolled section form, that is, of shapes requiring rolling for formation, the ribbed portion which is to take the truss member may be that of an oval, as at R,

substantially square as at R or substantially cruciform in section, as at B.

As pointed out in my copending application above designated it is to be noted that in the expansion of the thickened portion by stretching from. parallelism with the chord members to the diagonal position in the finished trussed structure, considerable bending occurs between the truss and bond. At this point of bending the truss member is subjected to strain which may result in fracture, particularly if the truss member is longer in cross section in its dimension parallel with the plane of the web than it is thick. To best resist this bending strain the round section of rib therefore seems preferable. However, with rib portions raised from the plane of the web section affording shoulders which may be gripped to relieve the strain on the bond during the stretching, I may use truss sections of considerable width in the direction of the plane of the web and taken transversely with relation to the chord members. Thus, for certain purposes, if oval, square, or cruciform sections are desirable, it will be seen that the present invention enables the stretching of the chord members, resulting during the expansion of the beam, with a minimum likelihood of fracture or tear at the bonds.

For some purposes it may be desirable to make a flat trussed structure, such as shown in Fig. 19. For example, such a flat truss might be very useful for the securing of other spaced structural members. As a further illustration of its utility, such a flat trussed structure may be expanded and suitable flanges may be formed thereon after expansion. One of the advantages of expanding the flat member, either before forming flanges thereon or for use in its flat condition, is the convenience with which it may be gripped and expanded and then be removed from the expanding grippers. The diiflculties of closely embracing the flanges while reinforcing the chord sections at the web sections is eliminated by reason of the fact that the gripping surfaces are simply flat plane surfaces closely embracing the flat web or chord areas.

In Figs. wand 17 an arrangement similar to that of Figs. 2 and 3 is shown, except that it will be noted that the gripper jaws 90 and 92 provided with a truss rib embracing cavities 93 and 94 have flat surfaces embracing the flat web areas of the chord members W As before, the gripper elements 90 and 92 are pivoted togetheras at 95 while expanding wedges 96, corresponding to the wedge arrangements 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 may simultaneously cause the gripping, while suitable springs 98 open the gripping members on withdrawal of the wedges.

The portion of the gripper elements extending past the truss rib preferably have a slight clearance as at 9'7, so that in drawing away during the expansion they do not pull upon the relatively stationary web portion beyond them.

As before, the one pair of grippers 90 and 92 are shown as slidable in the frame 20 on the guide rod of the shaft 21.

In Fig. 18, 100 and 101 represent male and female dies for bending upwardly the web or chord portions to form a channel section. I have shown cavities 102 and 104 in these die members arranged to bridge over the expanded truss member R.

For some purposes the flanges of such a member as that shown in Figs. 18 and 19 may vary in width and height as indicated in broken lines, 106 showing the flanges, and 107 their edges. In Fig. 19 an illustrative contour such as may be used for a cross frame member of an automobile frame is indicated by the edge (broken) lines 107.

For irregular spacing of chord members of the beams, such as divergent throughout, or expanded for a short zone for greater separation than at adjacent zones, some of the truss members may be pulled greater distances than others. To accomplish this it is only necessary to operate the opposed, grippers independently of the longitudinally adjacent grippers. This may be done by using different crank arms 23 independently operated, or by independently operating the toggle levers of Fig. 10, or by using other suitable means for moving the grippers varying distances.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for expanding structural elements having a pair of chord members and a connecting web, a portion of which is adapted to be expanded to form truss elements having bonds with said chord members, comprising means engaging the portion forming said truss elements and adapted to exert pull on said truss elements by engagement on the side away from the bond while pulling toward said bond, and means actuating said engaging means to cause said web member to be expanded by extending the truss elements.

2. An apparatus for expanding structural members having a pair of chord members connected by a web, a portion of which is adapted to be expanded to form truss ribs having alternate bonds with said chord members, comprising a plurality of alternately gripping elements engaging said portion forming the trussribs on the side away from said bond and adapted to guide the movement of said chord members, and means for causing said gripping elements to be relatively moved to cause expansion of said expansible portion.

3. In an apparatus for expanding structural members having a pair of chord members connected by a web member having a thickened portion forming shoulders intermediate of the said chord members and being slit alternately on either side thereof, the combination of pairs of grippers adapted to engage the shoulders of the thickened portion of said web member on opposite sides and at alternate points, means for causing movement of said grippers to effect expansion of said structural member.

4. In an apparatus for expanding structural elements having a pair of chord members connected by a web portion having a thickened section forming shoulders extending longitudinally of the web, said web being slit alternately along said thickened section to permit expansion of the thickened section to permit expansion of the thickened section to-form a structural shape having a thickened truss member, of a plurality of shoulder engaging means adapted to engage said shoulders adjacent the point of bond with said web portion, means for causing said means to move laterally of the chord members to cause expansion of said structural element.

5. An expanding machine for expanding structural blanks of the character described in which a pair of longitudinally extending structural elements are connected by a truss member adapted to be expanded to form a truss joined to the said elements at alternate points, comprising means for engaging said truss at the point of and extending past the union with said structural elements, means for actuating said flrst mentioned means to expand said structural blank to form a structural shape of the character described.

6. In an apparatus for expanding structural blanks of the character described, in which the web portion thereof is slit alternately along its length to form truss members on expansion, the combination of a plurality of separate rows of clamping jaws adapted to clamp said blank,

means associated with said jaws for extending gage said truss elements ,at

blank of said rows of clamping jaws to cause expansion of said web portion.

7. In an apparatus for-expanding structural blanks having a pair of chord members and a connecting web portion having a plurality of thickened sections extending longitudinally of itself and forming shoulders thereon, the thickened sections of the web member being adapted to be expanded to'form truss members having side bonds alternately with said chord members and middle bonds with one another, the combination of means engaging said truss members at the side bonds, means'forclamping the said truss members at their middle bonds, and means for actuating said first mentioned means to cause! elements having opposite bonds with thelchord members and alternately'iwith one another, the combination of a. pluralit np ins clamping jaws adapted to engage-2th .said ti'usselements at the point oil-their .bondrwith; chord members, a plurality of clampin .fiwsadapted to en- I point of their bond with one another and uphold-said bond stationary, means for actuating'said'flrstnamed clamping jaws to cause thefexpansionof said structural blank to produce a structural shape of the character described. g

. 9. In an apparatus for expanding structural blanks having a pair of chordmembers; and a connecting web having a plurality otthickened sections extending longitudinallyithereoi, said thickened sections being adapted tobeexpanded toiorm truss members having side bonds alter-- nately with said chord members and middle bonds with one another, the combination of opposing rows of rib engaging means for engaging said truss members adjacent to and on the side away from the side bonds, means-for clamping said middle bonds stationary, and means 101- actuating said rows 01' engaging'jaws to cause their movement an equal distance-away from said middle bonds.

10. In apparatus for expanding structural blanks having a pair of chord members and a connecting web portion having a plurality of thickened sections extending longitudinally thereof, said thickened sections being adapted to be expanded to form truss members having side bonds alternately with said chord members at opposite points and middle bonds with one another, the combination of a plurality of opposing engaging jaws for engagingsaid truss members adjacent to and on the side away from said side bonds and extending longitudinally past said bonds, a plurality of clamping jaws tor clamping the said truss members at their middle bonds and adapted to hold said bonds stationary, and means for actuating said opp ed enga in laws to cause the expansion of said structural blank.

11. In ,a structural blank expanding machine for expanding blanks having an expansible portion intermediate ot a pair of longitudinal chord members adapted to be expanded to form truss; members having bonds with said chord members;

the combination of rows 0! truss engaging means, each row having separatelymovable means for engaging a truss at said bonds, and means for moving said separately movable means difl'erent distances to cause diflerent expansion of said expan'sible portion at diflerent points.

- eCEAlFtIES W. LAUFIE. 

